Insights From Healing

By Jennifer Kelleher

This past week, I’ve been in recovery after having surgery to correct a deviated septum, a procedure that called for several days of true rest. For many, the thought of being sidelined from daily life can stir up anxiety or restlessness. But this time, I welcomed it.

Years ago, when I was put on modified bed rest at 30 weeks pregnant with my son, I remember feeling overwhelmed. The stillness was uncomfortable. I was used to doing, moving, managing, and leading, so being forced to slow down then felt like a loss of control. But, like so many of life’s challenges, that experience planted seeds– seeds of patience, humility, and trust– that have since taken root.

So when this surgery came up, I felt ready. I embraced the opportunity to pause. I knew from experience that rest isn’t just absence of activity, it’s a form of medicine. It’s a return to the body’s natural rhythm and a reminder of the healing that happens when we get out of our own way.

Recovery has been spacious, nourishing, and oddly beautiful. I’ve been walking more slowly– softening my steps, avoiding jarring movements. Not only because I have to, but because it feels good to move with gentleness and awareness. It’s as though my whole system has shifted into a more compassionate gear, and in that space, I’ve been able to listen more closely to what my body needs.

I’ve also treated this time as a cleanse– not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.

My diet has been simple and clean, my water bottle always nearby. I’ve avoided over-stimulating activities and have been mindful about where my attention goes. Just like in yoga or meditation, this stillness has revealed so much: how often we override our needs, how little we pause, and how healing doesn’t require effort… only allowance.

What’s become most clear is how self-care, when done with intention, isn’t self-centered at all. The way we treat ourselves ripples outward. As I’ve taken better care of myself this week, with rest, nourishment, and presence, I’ve noticed how naturally that care extends to others. I’ve been more patient, more attuned, and much more present. The gentleness I’ve practiced inward has softened how I show up outward.

There’s something profound about being content in every chapter of life– not just the exciting ones, the productive ones, or the high-energy ones. This slower chapter has reminded me that peace lives in stillness too. That I don’t have to chase it; I only have to stop long enough to feel it.

Of course, I’ll return to my usual rhythm soon. I’ll be back to lifting, teaching, mothering, and moving, but I’ll do my best to carry this softness with me. I’ll walk with more care. I’ll make more space for rest in the everyday. I’ll honor my body not just when it’s strong and energized, but also when it’s tired or healing.

Because slowing down isn’t a setback, it’s a sacred pause. And within that pause is an invitation: to come home to yourself, to tune in more deeply, and to remember that true and authentic care begins within. When we learn how to care for ourselves in this way, we inevitably learn how to care for others more fully, more gently, and more truly.

Come join us this summer at Ocean Bliss Yoga! We will be offering a number of daily yoga and mat pilates classes for all levels and schedules. Also on the lineup for this summer are our new Community Classes! Community Classes are donation-based classes taught by Ocean Bliss Yoga’s newly graduated Yoga Teachers (they have just two weeks left!). Browse our schedule and sign up at oceanblissyoga.net. Call or text me with any questions at 917-318-1168.